Roller skate



i/' 1932- J. 5. COLDWIELL Q I 1,857,360

ROLLER S,KATE

Filed July 20, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNEYS y 10, 1932- J. 5.COLDWELL 1,857,360

ROLLER SKATE Filed July 20, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 Z5 I 7/ 7 7%INVENTOR.

Patented May 10, 1932 .umTEosrAT'Es I PATENT oFFIcs JOHN S. COLDWELL, OFMILWAUKEE, 'WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO GLOBE-UNION MIG. I

60., OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN ROLLER sxa'rnApplication filed July 20, 1981. Serial Ito. 551,929.

This invention relates to improvementsinroller skates. Among theultimate objects of the invention are to provide a roller skate which isof simple, durable and well balanced construction and of attractiveappearance, which is susceptible of quantity production at a eel platesand a novel mode of adjustably.

interconnecting the toe and heel plates, and

,this latter feature lends itself to a simple,

practical and yet elfective mode of reinforcing the toe and heel plates.Further, the

truck hangers are of novel construction, are secured in an advantageousand novel man ner to'the toe and heel plates, and together with the axlebrackets or cradles are so designed as to simplify the operativeassembly of the axle brackets with the truck hangers as well as theconstruction of the rubber blocks or elastic cushions and their-assemblywith the hangers and brackets. The inven: tion also provides a simple,reliable and wellappearing means for mounting the toe clamps on the toeplate. n

Finally, the invention proposes a novel wheel which, while having adouble row of ball bearings, is so compactly and closely organized as toinclude a minimum number of parts and to provide a free-running wheel ofsimple, durable and comparatively inexpensive construction.

' Other objects and advantagesreside in certain novel features oftheconstruction, arrangementand combination of parts which will behereinafter morefully described and particularly pointed out intheappended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawin s,forming a part of this specification, an in which:

Figure 1 is a view in central, vertical, longitudinal section showing askate construction embodying the present invention;

7 Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the skate shown in Figure 1, partsbeing broken away for the sake of illustration;

Figure 3 is a view showing the skate in end elevation looking toward thefront end of the skate;

Figure 4 is a view in transverse section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1and looking in the direction ofthe arrows;

Figure 5 is a detail view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 6 and showing thewheel or roller structure;

Figure 6 is a view in section taken on line 66 of Figure 5,'parts beingshown'in elevation for the sake of simplicity in illustration;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the toe and heel plates with the truckhangers attached but with the axle brackets removed; Figures 8a'nd 9 aredetail perspective views of the axle brackets;

Figure 10 is a detail perspective view of the toe clamp; Figure 11 is afragmentary detail view i top plan showing a manner in which portions ofthe strap attaching lugs above the slots are offset; and

Figure 12 is a fragmentary detail view of another construction of truckhanger. Referring to the drawings, it will be seen.

i that the skate comprises generally a toe 'plate 1 and a heel plate 2,each of said platesbeing constructed ofa single piece of sheet metal.

The toe plate 1 has a rearwardly'directed extension 3 of box-likesection in that this extension 3 has a plate-like body portion 3 formedas a continuation of the toe late 1 sectional and has angular flanges 4integral with the margins thereof, eachyflange comprising, as clearlyshown in Figure 4, a vertical portion 4 depending'from the plate-likebody portion 3 and an inturned and horizontally disposed lower endportion 4'. The vertical portions of the flanges 4 are. integrallyformed with reinforcing flanges 5 which are also integral with andextend vertically downward from the margins of the toe plate.

The heel plate 2 is provided with a forwardly extending shank or girder7 having along its edges depending guide and reinforcing flanges 8. Theflanges 8 terminate short on the forward end of the girder 7 to providea plain or unflanged and flat latelike end portion 9 designed for intertting with other elements of the skate structure in certain adjustmentsas will hereinafter more clearly appear. Heel plate reinforcing flanges10 are integrally formed with the heel plate along portions of the sideedges thereof and are also continuations of the girder flanges 8. p

From the foregoing it will be understood that the flanged girder 7 ofthe heel plate 2 may be adjusted or slid back and forth through theguide constituted by the box-like extension 3 of the toe plate. Forsecuring these parts in any desired adjustment, a bolt 11 is providedand extends through the bolt hole in the plate-like body portion 3' ofthe -toe plate extension and through a slot 12 in the girder 7. A nut 13and washer 13 coact with the bolt 11 and with the girder 7 to securethese parts in any desiredzadjustment.

Truck hangers designated at 15 and 16 are provided on the toe and heelplates respectively. As these truck hangers are of identicalconstruction, a single description will serve for both. Each truckhanger comprises an inclined body plate 17 formed at its ends withintegral bearing lugs 18 having bearing openings 18' and'integrallyconnected along its side edges with vertical side plates 19 connected byintegral and offset connecting portions or shoulders 20 with attachingflanges 21. The attaching flanges 21 flatly engage the heel and toeplate and are spot welded thereto as indicated at 22. The offsetportions or shoulders 20, coact with the underside ofthe'toe plateto'provide guides or guideways which, in certain adjustments,-

receive the plain flat forward end 9 of the girder to enhance theinterconnection be tween the toe and heel plates. The inclined bodyplate of each hanger adjacent the junctures with the side plates 19 haveretaining lugs 23 struck" therefrom. Elast c pads or rubber blocks 24are positioned flatly against the body plate 17 of the hangers and areretained against lateral displacement by the lugs 23 and'against foreand aft displacement by the end flanges 25 of axle-brackets or cradles26. of the trucks. The axle brackets 26 have integral bearing portions27 which receive the axles 28 and their flanges have integralsemi-cylindrical trunn ons 29 which interfit with the bearing openings18' of the end lugs 18 of the truck hangers. As illustrated in Figure 1,the axle brackets preferably have integral reinforcements in the form ofoutwardly displaced rib-like structures 26'. Such reinforcements stiffenup the axle brackets and el minate bending and breaking of the axlebracket bearings and-make it possible to obtain these desirableproperties while using thinner metal than customary.

The metal of which the truck hangers are constituted is sufiicientlyresilient to enable it to be shaped and bent as described and also toenable one of the end lugs 18 to be bent to effect its interconnectionwith its trunnion 29 to complete the assembly and yet this metal issufliciently stiff and strong to retain its form in the assembly.

The heel plate 2 is provided with slotted strap attaching lugs and theportions 36 of the lugs above the slots are offset outwardly to preventcutting of the straps.

A conventional set of toe clamps 37 is provided on the toe plate 1 andhas its screw 38 interconnected with the usual notched lug 39 secured toand depending from the toe plate and has its slotted clamp member 40.

an end of the bearing portion 27 of the adjacent axle bracket and byvirtue of the engagement of its other end with a nut 47 threaded on theaxle or the head of the axle. Intermediate its ends the hub'46 isprovided with an outwardly or radially directed annular flange 48.-Between the flange 48 andbearing retaining cups'49 and 50 rows of ballbearings 51 and 51 are provided. The bearing-retaining on s 49 and 50have outwardly or radially irected annular flanges '52 and 53 whichflatly engage and are held together in the assembly by virtue of theirconfinement between the inwardly .directed flan es 54 and.55 of thesections 56 and 57 of the ody of the wheel. The section 56 consmallflange 61 which is spun or formed over. the side forming plate 58'ofsection 56 to securel interconnect the two sections 56 and 57 of thebody of the wheel.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that while the construction ofthe skate has been much simplifiedits strength and dure ability has beenenhanced. These advantages result from the manner of constructing thetruck hangers and welding them to the toe and heel plates and to thecharacter of the interconnection between the toe and heel plates.Concerning the latter, it will be ap-. preciated that the box-likesection of the rearward extension of the toe plate and flanged girder ofthe heel plate telescoping therein afford a superior mode of adjustablyinterconnecting the toe and heel plates. An

'sistsof the flange 54, a side forming plate other feature contributingto economy in cost of manufacture and to simplicity is the manner ofinterconnecting the axle brackets or cradles'with the truck hangers. Bypro-- viding the integral trunnions' on the brackets the necessity offorming a hole within the .rubber block or cushioning pad andofproioning pads or rubber blocks is not essential,

since these pads are securely held against accidental displacement bythe integral retaining lugs of the hangers and the end flanges of theaxle brackets.

It is to be understood, however, that the action of the cushioning padsor rubber blocks may be stiflened whenever desirable .by employingretaining clips 70 interfitted with the cradles or axle brackets 26 inthe manner shown in'Figure 12 and having flanges 71 engageable with thesides'of the rubber blocks supplementing the action of the cradles andlugs 23. in the assembly.

The guide lugs for the toe clamps being formed as extensions orcontinuations of the toe plate avoid puncturing of this,- plate andrepresent a simpler and less expensive man ner of organizing the toeclamps with the toe plate than the use of separate headed studs orrlvets. Finally, the novel wheel construction is of substantialadvantage for while the double row of ball bearings provides a verv'free-running wheel the elements ofthe wheel are so compactly and closelyorganized as to include a minimum number of parts and as to involve anextremely simple and durable though. comparatively inexpensiveconstruction.

The. invention claimed is: 1. A roller skate including toe and heelplates, said toe plate having ;a rearwardly projecting extension formedalong its side edges with flanges having vertically extending portionsprovided with-inturned lower ends, said heel plate having a forwardlyprojecting flanged girder slidably interfitted with said flanges of saidextension and their inturned ends and releasable means coacting withsaid extension and said girderfor securing the same in variousadjustments- 2.-A roller skate including toe and heel plates, said .toeplate having a rearwardly rojecting extension formed along its side e 4ges with flanges having vertically extend slidab ing portion}. providedwith inturned lower ends, said ,toe plate having downturned reinforcingflanges extending along its side edges and formed. integral therewithand also'integral with the vertical portions of the flanges of theextension, s id h'eel plate projecting extension forme extension andtheir inturned ends, and releasable means coacting with said extensionand sald girder for securing the same in various adjustments. 1 i

- 3. A roller skate including toe and heel plates, said toe plate havina rearwardly along its side edges with flanges having verticallyextending portions provided with inturned lower ends, said heel platehaving a forwardly projecting flanged irder slidably interfitted withsaid flanges 0% said extension and their inturned ends, said heel platehaving down- I turned reinforcing flanges integral with its.

side edges and also integral with the flanges of said girder, andreleasable means coacting with said extension and. said girder forsecuring the same in various adjustments.

4. A roller skate comprising a toe plate, a heel late, said plateshaving interfitted plateike shanks, clamping means for securing saidshanks in any selected longitudinal ad ustment, said shanks havingintegral marginal flanges, the flanges of the shank of the toe platehaving integral supporting members engaging the lower edges of theflanges of the shank of the heel plate to maintain s'aid shanks flatlyengaged and to hold said shanks against movement away from each otherwhereby to prevent bending forces from setting up any appreciableshearing or tensioning stress in the clamping means.

5. A roller skate comprising toe'and heel plates having interfittedplate-like shanks, clamping means for securing'said shanks in anyselected longitudinal adjustment, said shanks having integral flanges,the flanges of one of the shanks having integral supporting membersengaging the flanges of the other of the shanks to hold the shanksflatly engaged and thereby preclude bending forces from setting up anyappreciable shearing or tensioning stress in the clamping means.

6. A roller skate comprising toe and heel plates, said plates havinginterfitted shanks, clamping means for securing said shanks in anyselected longitudinal adjustment, said shanks having integral marginalflanges, the flanges of one of said plates gradually in creasing indepth toward the endof its shank and having integral supporting membersengaging the flanges of the other shank to hold the shanks flatly andsnuglfy engaged and prevent their movin away rom each other althoughproviding or longitudinaladjusthavingaforwardl projecting anged girder yinterfitte with said flanges of said JOHN s. coLDwELnQ

